


rainy days and other complications

by wineandsoju



Series: (magical) renjun at halloween parties [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Angst, Boys Kissing, Drinking, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Halloween, Halloween Challenge, Light Angst, M/M, Soulmates, Swearing, Witch - Freeform, might turn this into a series, there will be a sidestory, there's a short bullying scene if you want to skip it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-08-02 00:25:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16294808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wineandsoju/pseuds/wineandsoju
Summary: Renjun used to think he didn’t have a soulmate until Donghyuck told him he’d meet him at a Halloween party.





	rainy days and other complications

**Author's Note:**

> in fulfilment of [prompt no. 17](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EGZpNVrlVjoVLfBXQ4pq0XS8-DRQWy873aPc9KZRlYk/edit?usp=sharing)
> 
> thanks to [carrot](https://twitter.com/luvcube_artists) for being the best beta reader i could ever ask for.

 

Raindrops are pitter-pattering on the roof of a corner cafe. There's just about a sliver of sunlight creeping through the dark rain clouds outside casting light on a small corner of the quaint shop. Business seems to be thriving despite the weather. Distant chatter flows around, mixing with the sweet aroma of coffee and pastries being prepared at the bar. Almost every seat is occupied, yet the soft bell on the door rings every few minutes or so, indicating that new customers have arrived.

 

Every so often, people would look up from their books or laptops, curious to see who's entered, some waiting for a companion, some glad to be pulled out of their reverie. People go back to their activities once the few seconds of distraction cease. Everyone has something to do: there's a quiet boy with big headphones on, loud music blasting from it, he pushes up his glasses to stop them from sliding down the bridge of his nose that's buried in a book; the barista at the counter is busying himself with concocting drinks and reheating treats for the customers; couples are scattered around the cosy cafe, drinking coffee, and talking animatedly during their short breaks from work.

 

Amongst them are two friends: a small blonde boy, picking at his nail beds, looking excitedly at the one seated before him, a slightly taller boy with rainbow-streaked hair, who currently has his eyes shut in concentration as he hovers his hands over the glass table in between them. They're sitting in a corner a bit more private from the rest of the cafe, a deck of tarot cards spread on the table.

 

"You're going to meet your soulmate on Wednesday," the rainbow-haired one says after he flips some cards.

 

_Donghyuck's at it again._

Renjun laughs in disbelief. He stares at the cards laid on the table in front of him, trying to make sense of them but nevertheless failing. He never was the precognitic type. That was Donghyuck’s specialty, and well, Renjun's more of the _elemental_ type.

 

"You mean I'm going to meet them for the fourth time? Like the other times you said I'd meet them? Wow. Your psychic abilities really amaze me," the sarcasm drips from his voice the same way the moisture from the plastic cup he's holding drips onto the table.

 

"Hey, careful! These are from L.A!" Donghyuck grabs a napkin and moves to stop the water from destroying his cards, but they've already disappeared as soon as they left the cup.

 

"And I told you, I have a 98% success rate," he continues. "You know I was the catalyst to Johnny and Taeil's relationship, and look where they are now, happily married and arguably Korea’s it-couple of the century. What about Yuta and Jaehyun? Sure, they've been going through a rough patch recently, but it's so obvious how enamoured they are by each other. Don't even get me started about Chenle and Jisung. Those two? Adorable."

 

"I still can't believe you keep a list of all the couples you've helped get together," the smaller boy chuckles, "you really feed your ego well."

 

"Not as well as you're feeding me right now," the multicolor haired boy takes a bite of the scone sitting on the plate, previously ignored while he was reading his cards, to prove his point. "And mostly because of that, I would really like to add your name on that list, with another name right next to yours."

 

"Why couldn't you just, I don't know, look them up on your crystal ball?"

 

Donghyuck's eyes bulge as he chokes on his pastry.

 

"That's offensive!" He throws a napkin at the boy across him and watches at it cleanly settles on the other's hand, a soft gust of air cradling its fall. "You know for a fact I don't have a crystal ball. Stop saying things like this for clout, Renjun."

 

Again, he laughs at how easily he can get a reaction from his friend.

 

"Anyway, I told you. I can't just _look_ for your soulmate. It's like the rules of witchcraft or something. _You_ have to actually properly _meet_ him. Besides, isn't scouring more _your_ thing?"

 

“Who says I haven't tried?" Renjun shrugs feigning nonchalance, but his eyes don't meet his friend's. He did try, more than a couple of times, and he felt guilty every time he did – not because he was trying to circumvent the unwritten rules of witchcraft, but more because he felt it was unfair to his soulmate. If they're going to be kept in the dark about who Renjun is, then why would he take advantage of the situation?

 

"You _tried_?" his friend doesn't mask his surprise at the revelation. "Do you not care about the consequences of your actions? _At all_?"

 

"I was never one to follow the rules, Hyuckie. You know that," he says, remembering all the times he tried to go around the laws of nature and suffered the aftermath of it all. Sure, he went on days without one or two of his basic senses, but he never regretted those times he felt in full control of his abilities.

 

The slightly taller male shakes his head in disbelief, but is soon taken out of his grief as he glances at the clock hanging on the cafe wall and quickly gathers his things. He gestures to his friend to do the same. He continues their discussion as soon as Renjun is on his feet.

 

"Maybe this is why you still haven't met him. Maybe you were cursed by the gods," Donghyuck, as dramatic as he is, audibly gasps. He doesn't mind the look people give them as they make their way to the cafe's exit.

 

"So it's a _him_ huh?" Renjun raises his eyebrows and nudges his friend. "Glad to know that."

 

"Of course you choose to hear what you only want to." The younger one knows how easy it is for his friend to filter out information that's only beneficial to him.

 

"Can you tell me more about him, then? I promise I'll listen to every little detail."

 

"To reiterate, I can't do shit like that." A frustrated sigh escapes Donghyuck's mouth, "I can't reveal the future, Junnie. I'm just here to guide you through the steps."

 

"You say that as if it's your job. Wait, that sounds like a sound business plan. What if we set up something like Tinder, but with magic?"

 

"I have one principle in life and that is to never use magic for profit. Also, stop going off tangent. We were talking about you meeting your soulmate, Junnie."

 

"Just saying there are loopholes for everything. Like you possibly telling me more about my soulmate than what you already have." He smirks, knowing he'd get what he wants in some way or another.

 

"Stop pulling me into the dark side, Junnie," his friend whines. "I'm too soft for that."

 

"Aren't you at least allowed to tell me general details of how we'll meet? Last time you told me he'd be at a cafe and that he'd talk to me–apologize, even," he counters. In hindsight, he should know better than to look for signs, they've never been helpful to him anyway.

 

"Well maybe if you veered away from our conversation a little less, I would have already told you to go to Mark's Halloween party with me on Wednesday, and that you should look out for someone wearing the same costume as you."

 

"Mark? That dude you've been eyeing since the start of the semester?"

 

"Yeah pretty sure he has a crush on _you_ ," Donghyuck says. He raises his hand to point at his friend to highlight this matter. "Do you even see the way he looks at you? Not complaining, though, since I got us an invite to the party of the season when I dropped your name in the middle of our conversation."

 

Renjun has to pull him back to save a stranger from getting hit. He turns to face the almost-victim of his actions and bows as an apology. His eyes meet the other's and takes in his form, he's a little taller than them, has a pair of headphones resting on his neck, and looks like he'd rather be at the library reading the book he's balancing with his drink on one hand. Something dawns on the observer. He opens his mouth to say something, but he feels a tug on his jacket before he can do so.

 

"Come on, Hyuck. We're going to be late," Renjun warns while looking at the cafe clock.

 

The stranger gestures for them to go ahead. _It's fine,_ Donghyuck understands from the way he looks at him. _Go on._ He steps aside to give the two some room. Donghyuck, however, isn't done apologizing. So, he bows another time, but Renjun simultaneously pulls on his arm. He stumbles, not expecting the force of his friend's pull. He falls ass-first, and Renjun instinctively moves to help him up.

 

The tall boy seems to have the same instinct as he crouches to do the same, but both boys do so synchronously and they end up in a tangle. The stranger loses his balance, and his things come tumbling down with him. His book falls with a dull thud on the floor, and his drink flies out of his grasp and lands on the same floor–at least he hoped it would. In reality, it finds its way to the other boy whose once white shirt is now drenched in a light brown.

 

"I'm sorry," he winces out an apology. "I'm rea–"

 

"Save it." Renjun tries his best not to roll his eyes as he helps Donghyuck up. _What an idiot,_ he lets his mind do the talking.

 

"Well you don't have to be so rude about it," the stranger says, but neither of the two hears him. They're already out of earshot, not bothering to stay and help him pick up his belongings.

 

"You didn't have to be so snarky," Donghyuck, ever the kind one, states.

 

"Well, he didn't have to be such a dumbo," his friend deadpans.

 

Renjun pushes the cafe door open, ready to run away from the attention the whole fiasco had caused. He didn't really mind being soaked with coffee. That was a minor detail in the event. He did mind, though, that there's an unwanted concentration on him. He looks back at his friend who asks if he's really okay. He wipes his hand on his shirt, already clean and dry. Nothing to worry about, he acts out. They wave a little goodbye to the staff, always thankful for their service, and make their way out of the nook.

 

It stops raining as soon as they step out of the cafe.

 

 

 

—xxx—

 

 

Renjun sits in the front row, at the desk farthest from the professor's podium. He looks out of the window, watching the students making their way through the courtyard, looking like they didn't have enough of the weekend. This is precisely the reason why he gets up thirty minutes earlier than what other college students would deem as normal, just so he can snag a window seat. He likes letting his mind wander before class.

 

He mostly dreams about lazy school days when the sun is out and there aren’t any clouds in sight. He’d be playing hooky, laying on the grass under the bleachers, doing absolutely nothing at all. It would get boring after a few minutes of staring at the sky peeking through the spaces in between the bleacher steps. There’d be someone who would pull him out of his boredom. They would talk about anything and everything—he imagined he’d go on with his monologues about space and the unknown in general, and the other would just be there, listening. He would make it rain, and he’d take the other’s hand and lead him out from under the bleachers and into the field. They’d run around and play on the rain-soaked grass, feeling the raindrops on their palms, and maybe they’d spend the rest of the day finding all kinds of excuses just so they could stay together. Renjun would have made the rain stop by the time the sun is about to set. They'd watch how the blue sky gets flooded with orange sun rays and how it turns purple and into a dark indigo as the moon rises. Maybe they'd share a kiss or two, or more, before they decide to call it a night. _Goodbye for now,_ Renjun would say, and the other would tell him _Don't say that. I don't want to say goodbye._ He'd feel a pang in his heart, imagining the pain of parting. He imagines he'd say _See you again, then,_ and the guy would answer the same, _See you again, Renjun._

He sighs thinking of the what-might-bes, and wishes they were real.

 

He continues watching the people moving across the school grounds, most of them rushing. He glances at the wall clock indicating that he still has half an hour left before class starts. A few other people have occupied some seats in the room, but none near him. His classmates have a tendency to group together, and he was never one to include himself in those, already satisfied with immersing himself in his fantasies.

 

A few more people arrive and greet him. He politely nods in response. They engage him in small talk, and he lets himself enjoy the few seconds of attention, talking about how nice the weather is, complaining with them about their professor's demanding curriculum, saying, _No, I haven't even started the term paper yet,_ and telling them _Have a great day,_ before they go to their seats and leave him to his thoughts.

 

Another person walks in, but Renjun doesn't need to concern himself with him. It seems that he'd rather be alone anyway, with his headphones blasting loud music – so loud that Renjun can make out the beats of the song playing even when he's still a few desks away. Surprisingly enough, he takes the seat behind him. Renjun acknowledges his presence, almost waves to greet him, but the boy's attention never leaves the floor, and as soon as he takes his seat, he buries his nose into a book.

 

Renjun can still hear a soft beat coming from the seat behind him. He absentmindedly taps his foot to it before he goes back to his reverie.

 

He imagines the person again. It's always the same person in his fantasies, never a face, but an aura of something–someone familiar. He tries to envisage what he would look like, but his effort turns futile when his emotions overpower his vision. He never pegged the person to be someone he actually knows. He's just some guy he created in his mind, someone who would make him feel loved, even if he only exists in his mind.

 

Renjun used to believe he didn't have a soulmate. Not everyone does, anyway, so he just assumed he doesn't. He used to tell himself that he's too busy for that, and maybe the powers that be understood that about him. He never thought he'll be linked to someone, let alone linked through his soul. That doesn't mean he didn't want one, though. Like his fantasies, he just wanted to have someone beside him, soulmate or not. Alas, he had always known he's a lone soul. That is, until Donghyuck told him he had one, a _soulmate._

He thinks back to all the times his friend got giddy at the idea of him actually having one.

 

_"Junnie, sit down, I have great news for you!"_

_"If this is about me passing Synoptic Meteorology, I already know. I aced that final." He dropped his test booklet on the table and relished in seeing the look on Donghyuck's face as he saw his grade, in red ink, **A+** , and right next to it, in his professor's handwriting, **Great job, Mr. Huang! I knew you had it in you!**_

****

_"Shut up. Mr. Suh personally checked your final? I thought he only ever lets his RA grade the exams?"_

_"Ah, well. I've always been special," he said. He didn't hold back his laughter as he added, "He really thought I would end up dropping the subject after that sorry excuse of a 'group' report my useless classmates butchered when I was down with the flu. The audacity, really, when I had spent zombie hours making it perfect. The least they had to do was make a decent presentation." He cringed at the memory of watching his grades plummet right before his puffy paracetamol-drowsed eyes._

_"Congratulations, Junnie! I knew–"_

_"I had it in me, I know. Mr. Suh knows. You can literally see it on my booklet," he laughed again._

_"Okay, well. This news doesn't have anything to do with that. Junnie, I found your soulmate!"_

_His ears perked up at his friend's words. There it was, the confirmation. He wouldn't die alone, it seemed._

_"You did? But I thought I didn't have one," he gaped._

_"But you do! And you're going to meet him!" Donghyuck sounded more excited than he was. "I don't know when, but I do know where."_

_"Any chances of you telling me where exactly?"_

_"I was just getting to that..."_

_It was a few months back, during the previous semester. Donghyuck didn't have rainbow streaks in his hair then–it was just a light shade of brown, and Renjun had darker hair back then too–black, all natural. They were mere freshmen finishing their first semester in college, and they didn't know any better._

_His friend placed his bag on an empty seat and took out a deck of cards._

_"So you're doing tarot now?" he quipped._

_"I bought them in L.A," Donghyuck explained. "I was drawn by them, and felt the need to buy them. So, yeah, I guess I do tarot now. They actually help me concentrate more."_

_"That's so cute, Hyuckie, thinking you could concentrate before," he joked. He got a slap on his arm as his friend's retaliation._

_Donghyuck did seem to concentrate well with the cards. He whispered silent incantations and presented them to the boy seated before him, and made him pick out a few._

_"So," Hyuck started as he laid down the cards on the table, "I'm going to skip a few things here. Oh, look!" he pointed at a card with a woman illustrated on it, there's a wreath around her, and at the bottom are the words **The World**. "This shows success. It might be about that class with Mr. Suh."_

_Renjun watched his friend reveal the rest of the cards. His eyes focused on the one with a goblet in the middle, water spewing from it._

_"Water..." he whispered._

_"That… that's the Ace of Cups." The excitement in Donghyuck's voice obvious, he continued, "that means you'll meet someone, there'll be excitement and bliss coming your way."_

_"So… soulmate?" he asked._

_The brunette explained the rest of the cards, and Renjun tried to listen intently, but his mind kept wandering back to the one with the cup on it. He's always been fascinated with water, the fact that this card possibly did represent him meeting his soulmate was just an added bonus._

_Donghyuck whispered another incantation before picking up the cards and putting them back in the deck. He placed his hand on top of Renjun's and closed his eyes. They waited a few seconds, feeling each other's presence._

_"School," Hyuck started again. "I saw a classroom. I heard some music, too. Are you taking a music class next semester? That doesn't make sense, though. It's so far from your major."_

_"School? That's… normal. I'm not taking a music class. I do have a few general subjects lined up, though."_

_"The first time I had my vision, you were at a lecture, although I didn't see what for. It wasn't a huge lecture hall, just a small regular classroom, so I'm guessing it's one of the general courses that not everyone bothers to take. I heard a ticking sound as well, might be a clock. The person seems… kind. It looked like they'd help you with something," he ended._

Renjun looks around the room again, taking note of the wall clock. _Fifteen more minutes before class starts._

It must be the same classroom in his friend's vision. Most of his other classes were held in lecture halls, hundreds of seats spread across them. Only a few were in small classrooms like this one, all with clocks on the wall, but this is the only room where the clock seems to be working. He watches the second hand move, then he turns his attention to the people around him. The room's almost full now, and he hears his classmates blather about.

 

He sinks back into his mind.

 

_The second time Donghyuck told him about meeting his soulmate was during summer vacation. They were at the beach, and his friend didn't think it would be ideal to bring his cards with him._

_"I didn't want them getting damaged by the sand or the sea water," he said. "Not that you wouldn't be able to do anything with the water, but the sand, Junnie. The sand."_

_"So tell me how you're going to talk about my soulmate again," he whined. It wasn't the start of the semester yet, so meeting the person in class didn't seem likely at all, but his friend told him he had another vision, but in a different setting._

_"I don't need the cards, you know. Just give me your hands, okay?"_

_So he did._

_"They're reading a book! Oh, wait. They're **surrounded** by books. There's that music again. It seems loud, but it's faint… like you're hearing it from a speaker in the next room. Other than that, it's really quiet. Hmmm I taste something. Yuck, it's jasmine tea. They have the same taste buds as you do, maybe?"_

_Donghyuck earned a punch on the arm for that one._

Renjun remembers it vividly, the what-might-have-been.

 

_It was late summer, and he had just finished unpacking his things in his new dormitory. It was hot and humid outside, and he just wanted a nap. It was always exhausting moving in. He was already prepared to sink on his bed, but as soon as he tried turning on the A/C, the intercom announced that the power's out. They were doing some maintenance before the semester started._

_That's how he found himself inside the library. He didn't have anything better to do, with Donghyuck still in Jeju vacationing with his family. He thought he could do some advanced reading, but as he reached the fourth page of Meteorology Today, his eyes felt heavy. The exhaustion got to him, and he let it. He closed the book and rested his head on it. The stillness in the library didn't help. He felt restless, but he didn't have the energy to lift his head up from the book._

_He stayed in the same position for what felt like hours until he heard a screech on the floor. He looked up to see someone taking a seat a few tables down. He let his head drop on the table again and listened to the person shuffle, until it was silent again. He could hear the rustling of paper, and a distant beat made its way to his ear, lulling him to sleep._

_He dreamt about summer escapades with his family in China where the weather was much nicer. He lived in the north, so it was a bit cooler than the rest of the country. He remembered playing in the pool with his cousins, him sitting on one of the lawn chairs, sipping on his favorite drink._

_He woke up to the feeling of water touching his skin. The sun was already setting, and the library was empty, save from himself and the librarian sitting quietly by the counter. He felt another drop on his palm and realized that there was a drink placed before him. He looked at the note carefully placed beside it._

_"Seems like you're in need of some refreshment," it said._

_He inspected the sealed cup, which had "Jasmine Tea, 20% sugar," stated on the label._

_He hastily gathered his belongings and made his way outside the library, stopping by the counter to ask the librarian if she'd seen anyone near his table. There was someone who dropped by, she said, but they left twenty minutes ago._

_He sighed, knowing who he had just missed._

Renjun is once again pulled out of his reverie when he hears the classroom door open. It's the Student Assistant standing by the doorway.

 

"Professor Kim is indisposed today, so he won't make it to class," she announces. "These are the readings for the next meeting." She passes a thin stack of paper to the student nearest to her and adds, "You'll discuss it next week, so have your beadle photocopy it for you and return the original to me before 3PM today."

 

She leaves and the students scurry to leave the room. He waits for the crowd to dissipate before making his way outside. The heavy door is held open for him from behind, and he whispers a quiet _thank you_ to the person. _You're welcome,_ he gets an answer.

 

He's already a few paces away from the classroom when an idea pops into his mind. He turns back to the classroom, searching for the person who helped him, but he's met with an empty hallway.

 

 _Maybe next time,_ he thinks.

 

He's looking forward to Wednesday.

 

—xxx—

 

Renjun's heart beats to the party music blasting through the doorway as he makes his way into Mark's house. He takes in the surroundings. It looks festive enough. The decorations are cute, albeit looking unrefined. The snacks sitting on the table in the middle of the living room look delectable: chocolate cupcakes decorated to look like graveyards, candied apples with fake teeth glued to them, even the drinks were made to fit the occasion, green and red beer do seem like something you'll see in a Halloween movie. Everyone seems to be having fun.

 

Renjun's excited, to say the least.

 

Donghyuck never failed to remind him to go to the party. _Remember: Wednesday, 7pm. Look cute!,_ the same message, sent three times for the past few days leading to today, said. His friend seems to be more than ecstatic for this fated day. Renjun knows, however, that this is his way of making things right. He understands that Donghyuck felt bad not being able to help him find his person, when with all his other friends, he had been successful enough.

 

So, Renjun wants this night to be fulfilling, both for him and his friend. He feels like he hasn't prepared enough, though. He looks at his attire, simple at best. He's donned in a white shirt, some of his skin peeking through a thin piece of cloth criss-crossing down his neck to his mid-chest. The icing on his bland cake are the cardboard wings he procured in a last-minute haste to turn himself into an angel instead of the cliche pirate one he knows college kids love. He blames it on the god-awful schedule he put upon himself. In between all the requirements and the readings he has yet to touch, he didn't find the time to prepare an elaborate costume. He wanted it to be unique enough, so it would be easier to pinpoint anyone who'd be wearing the same thing he is, but college got in the way of that.

 

 _At least not many guys thought to be angels for tonight,_ he appeases himself.

 

He doesn't think that meeting his soulmate would be the be-all and end-all of his search for the person. He knows that it's just the beginning. He's seen enough of the crazy antics of Donghyuck's "success stories." Some were lucky enough to click together right off the bat – Johnny and Taeil, they're really a force to be reckoned with; while some didn't exactly find themselves compatible enough to verge into a relationship in a wink – Yuta and Jaehyun, whose affair had been rockier than a ship sailing during a super typhoon. Renjun wants his experience to be like the former.

 

The freshman does his best to quell his enthusiasm for the occasion, but his attempts to do so are ineffective. It's Hallow's Eve, after all, a holiday just for magic folk like himself. He couldn't care less that the college kids around him are using it as an excuse to party and get drunk in the middle of the week. It's _his holiday,_ and what better day is there to meet his soul link?

_This party is a bust._

Renjun sips on the watered down beer that's been sitting in his hands for the past fifteen or so minutes. He looks around the room as he tugs on the garter eating at his shoulders. Suddenly, everything around him looks drab: the convenience store paper jack o'lantern streamers hanging from the ceiling, the ghosts painted on the windows looking like failed recreations from Pinterest, and the sad excuses for costumes that the people around him are wearing. He's no exception, though. Just like the other boozed out students there, he was too lazy to invest his time and energy into conjuring up a decent costume. _Who even has the time for that?_ It's a school night and to be honest, the people there are just in it for the free drinks.

 

So there he was, tugging on the garter of his cardboard wings again, barely participating in any kind of conversation while he waits for his friend to actually show up at the party. He rejects an offer for another drink from the pink haired guy that's been chatting him up ever since he situated himself in the farthest corner of the room.

 

He's not really up for socializing, quite paradoxical since he's at a social gathering, and he did show up to meet somebody, but that somebody isn't Mr. Pink Hair – Jaemin, he learns, after the guy offers yet another beer and his name. He tilts his cup, finally accepting the drink, and whispers his name just to be polite. He might as well take advantage of the free booze, he thinks.

 

"So you came here alone?"

 

"Actually, I didn't..." Renjun starts, but easily relents, "I mean, technically, I did."

 

He looks around the room, searching for a familiar face. When nothing but strangers meet him, he pulls out his phone to send a quick message.

 

**To Hyuckie [19:35]: when are you planning to come here?**

"Who are you texting?"

 

"Just… a friend. He was supposed to come here with me," he explains. "Sorry, that was rude of me."

 

"No biggie," Jaemin says. "So… this friend… is just a friend, right? You're not meeting your boyfriend here or something?"

 

_Oh, if you only knew._

"Nah, just a very _platonic_ friend," he emphasizes. This time, he properly checks the guy out. If Donghyuck is going to leave him hanging at this party, he'll get his fun out of it.

 

Jaemin… looks _nice._ A full head taller than he is, he has to look up at him to see his eyes, hidden behind round black-rimmed glasses – sparkling, full of wonder. _He's a looker_ , Renjun decides. The way his clothes fall on his shoulders make a great picture. He's wearing an orange shirt peeking under black robes and a red-and-gold scarf. A witch's hat sits loosely on his head, pink hair sticking out from under it.

 

"What… who are you supposed to be?"

 

Jaemin's eyes light up. "I'm Ryan!" he exclaims.

 

"Ryan Bergara from Buzzfeed Unsolved? Pretty sure you got it wrong. He has a more casual look to him."

 

"No, silly! I'm Ryan from Kakao Friends!"

 

"Ah, I can see it now… so, the orange shirt is supposed to be his skin?"

 

"Yeah, I couldn't commit a hundred percent and paint my face orange, so I settled for a more subtle orange shirt instead."

 

Renjun thinks it's cute how the guy sounds so excited about his costume. He's about to comment on that when he feels a soft buzz on his thigh. He excuses himself from Jaemin as he checks his phone.

 

**From Hyuckie [19:48]: i'm here! what are you wearing?**

**To Hyuckie [19:48]: the white shirt i got from the thrift store a few weeks back, and wings.**

**From Hyuckie [19:50]: cute. okay, i'm at the backyard, by the pool area. meet you there?**

**To Hyuckie [19:50]: sure.**

He looks up from his phone to see a curious Jaemin, surprised to get caught trying to look at his messages. He feels a little sorry knowing the guy has probably seen them, and that he's on the brink of abandoning him.

 

"I… uhh… my friend's here," he says.

 

"Yeah? You going to meet him now?" He tries not to let the sad tone in Jaemin's voice bother him.

 

"Yeah… Want to come with?"

 

"Nah… it's okay. I don't want to impose," the answer comes.

 

He asks for Jaemin's number as consolation. _I'll text you when it gets too boring,_ he says. At least he'll have a backup plan in case things get awful with Hyuck. It's obvious how Jaemin tries to act unaffected, but he still lets him go. _Go, your friend's probably excited to see how cute you look,_ he says. Renjun might have left a piece of his heart with him.

 

The scene outside is much rowdier than the inside. People seem to have gotten hold of an unlimited number of kegs, red and green solo cups littered on the pool deck. Some have gone wild, splashing about in the pool, similar solo cups in hand. Renjun's almost sure the pool is full of chlorinated beer water at this point.

 

"Junnie! Oh my god, look how adorable you are!" Donghyuck, looking all glammed up in his witch outfit, wearing black from head to toe. The dark makeup emphasizes his pretty eyes, and Renjun feels a tad underdressed for the night. He takes note of the black combat boots his friend has on. He's going to borrow those someday. The brunette didn't bother to lose the rainbow streaks in his hair, which makes him look more magical.

 

"You're one to talk, Mr. Sexy Witch," he deadpans as Hyuck puts an arm around his shoulders. "Really, Hyuck? A _witch?_ "

 

"Hey, it's Halloween! Time to celebrate our kind!"

 

He presses a hand on Donghyuck's mouth, and immediately retracts it when he feels his friend's tongue poking it. Donghyuck smirks, basking in the night. It's evident how much he wants to be free, just for tonight. But Renjun's not going to risk it. It may be _their_ holiday, but the people around them don't know that. Sure, it wouldn't be that big of a deal. Magic folk are accepted by the public– _tolerated_ is more like it _–_ but he's not ready to out himself like that.

 

"You can celebrate all you want, but tighten up your loose tongue, big mouth," he warns.

 

"And celebrate, we will!" the younger shouts. "I found him, Junnie! He's here!"

 

His friend unlatches himself from his side and makes a beeline through the crowd. He sighs. He just went from being alone at a party, to chatting up a stranger, then leaving that same stranger he's gotten to like to meet his friend, just to be left alone again.

 

It doesn't last long, though. His friend comes back merely a minute later, with a guy in tow. He raises his eyebrows once the man is in his full view. He notes the white shirt on him, similar pale skin peeping through criss-crosses of cloth on his chest, and the material bunching up at his shoulders. There it is, cardboard wings, much similar to the ones he has on. He realizes how the costume _does_ work, only much better on a toned body like the person next to his friend has.

 

"This is Jeno," Donghyuck introduces the stranger. He pushes him to face Renjun, and the surprised look on the guy's face tells another story. "He's in one of your classes. World Literature with Mr. Kim, I think?"

 

"Yeah..." he confirms. The shyness in his voice shocks Renjun, and the feeling is doubled when he smiles. "Nice to meet you."

 

He's left speechless at the sight of the guy's eyes turning into crescent moons. He stares at the hand stretched towards him, only accepting it in a handshake seconds later. Neither of them lets go until they hear a cough near them. Jeno abruptly releases his hand at the sound of Donghyuck's chiding, and Renjun feels the heat creep up to his cheeks.

 

The ongoing party is loud, but the silence between them is thick.

 

It takes a couple of minutes before they note each other's presence again. A few more for them to get past the small talk. They find a garden set near the pool, lucky enough that it's clean. Donghyuck slips away without any notice, probably off to look for the party host. They take the only available seats and continue their conversation.

 

Renjun learns a lot of things about Jeno, but feels like he hasn't learned enough. He senses it, the way Jeno controls his words, his expressions, and knows he's not being entirely _himself_ at the moment. He doesn't blame him for it; he's just about the same. He shares what needs to be shared, and keeps what needs to be kept – just like how he keeps in his awe at Jeno's _appearance._

 

He'd like to say he's attracted to the person and not his looks, but _god damn,_ Jeno looks _so good,_ and maybe Renjun is superficial. Maybe he gets off on nice bodies and pretty faces.

 

Renjun steals a couple of glances, admiring how handsome the person – _his person –_ is. He marvels at how good he looks, considering how simple his clothes are. He takes it all in again, the light brown hair getting caught in the party lights, casting a halo around his head, the shirt that falls loosely on his shoulders, and the wings that completes him.

_He's an angel,_ he thinks. He doesn't notice how the guy's ears turn red. His eyes travel back up to the man's face, and on the way, his eyes land on his neck.

 

_Who brings headphones to a party? Weirdo._

Jeno chokes on his drink.

 

"Are you alright?" Renjun asks.

 

"I-it's nothing," he says as he catches his breath. "You look like you were about to ask me something?"

 

"Ah… really? I wasn't."

 

_They really ruin the look. What the hell was he thinking?_

"Excuse me?" Jeno looks puzzled.

 

"Huh? I didn't say anything," he says, equally baffled.

 

Renjun tries to steer the conversation another way, asking how Jeno's doing in their shared class. It looks like he, to put it mildly, enjoys the class. He can't even get a word in once Jeno starts talking about all the books they have yet to read. He goes on and on about how there's so much literature in the world that they can explore, and gets excited listing all the writers they'll get to know. Renjun wants to contribute to the conversation, but he stays quiet, not fully understanding what Jeno's talking about.

 

_Man, is my soulmate an actual dork? I mean, I really like that he's handsome and all, but god, this is boring._

"I'm sorry?" Jeno stops in the middle of his commentary on the world of fiction.

 

"You were talking about how Fitz-something is the best writer of all time?" Renjun offers, still not knowing what to say.

 

"Are you bored? I'm sorry, I just really love books."

 

_Sure looks like it._

"No no no, it's okay. Keep talking," he urges.

 

 _I'll just enjoy the view,_ he thinks.

 

"Seems like you're not interested anyway." Jeno stands up abruptly. "I'll save you the trouble." He turns to leave.

 

"Excuse you?" he calls after him. Jeno stops in his tracks and faces him.

 

"You know, I really thought I could have a fun night. Maybe meet someone worth my time. I guess I was… mistaken." The last word stabs Renjun in the chest like a knife.

 

"I know I haven't been talking much about your god awful books, but you don't have to be so rude about it," he argues.

 

"Ha. Rude? You're one to talk," it comes out as a whisper, but Renjun hears it nevertheless.

 

"You know what? I don't think you're worth my time either," he wishes the words bite as hard as Jeno's do. "You can stay. Go look for someone much more up your alley. I'll leave."

 

He stomps his feet, feeling the puddles of water splash underneath him. He doesn't dare look back, knowing that he'll regret his words. He pulls out his phone from his pocket and types away, fuming.

 

**To Hyuckie [22:43]: i don't know what games the heavens are playing, but i'm not up for it. i'm leaving.**

**From Hyuckie [22:45]: what??? what about jeno? it looked like you were hitting it off when i left you two alone.**

**To Hyuckie [22:45]: yeah. whatever. i don't like him.**

He receives another message from his friend, but he doesn't open it. He knows it's going to be a barrage of questions about what happened, and he knows he wouldn't be able to answer them. Honestly, he doesn't even know what _had_ happened. He just feels offended, and right now, he doesn't want to think about the whole fiasco. He opens a new message and starts typing again.

 

**To Jaemin [22:48]: hey, jaemin. it's renjun. you still at the party?**

**From Jaemin [22:48]: renjuuuun yws im stll hert. U?**

**To Jaemin [22:48]: having fun?**

**From Jaemin [22:49]: nah, it's borunf wothiut u :(**

**To Jaemin [22:49]: want to have some fun, then?**

**From Jaemin [22:50]: yeeeaaa wr r u ill cime get u**

**To Jaemin [22:50]: wait for me instead. i'll go look for you.**

He pockets his phone and ignores the faint buzzing it emits. He makes his way into the house again, searching for the familiar burst of pink hair.

 

—xxx—

 

"Junnie, what happened? I thought you were excited to finally meet him."

 

It's the day after the party, and Renjun wants to be anywhere else but here. They're in the same cafe where this whole ordeal started, at the same table in an isolated corner. He squints when a cafe staff pulls the blinds up to let the sunlight in. _It's too early for this._

 

He had a late night. After storming away so ungracefully from the party, he had a little bit of an adventure with Jaemin. They spent the whole night running around the neighborhood, enjoying the night for what it was, and gathered treats for themselves. Once they were tired of traveling the area, they stayed at the park. Renjun didn't know how, but Jaemin managed to snag a few bottles of beer, and that's how they capped the night. They knew they were being loud, but they couldn't care less. They were having fun, playing on the swings, laughing their asses off, and not letting the fear of tomorrow get to them.

 

Renjun doesn't regret it one bit, but he does resent himself for getting caught up in the moment and downing the booze. He couldn't let Jaemin drink more, he had already been drunk even before leaving the party. So, he took one for the team, not wanting the drinks to go to waste, and practically inhaled the last three bottles of beer.

 

He rubs his temples, feeling the migraine coming in. To be completely honest, he didn't want to leave his bed this morning, wanting to nurse his hangover the best way he can–skipping classes to sleep until the sun is way up in the sky, and fancying himself some home cooked chicken soup. He does know, though, that Donghyuck's lectures after ignoring him for half a day would be worse than any bad hangover, so he reluctantly left his bed after his friend called him by sun up to have him explain what happened the night before.

 

He reaches for the coffee in his friend's grasp, but Donghyuck is quick to dodge him.

 

"Stay away from caffeine if you don't want to be hugging the toilet soon," he warns.

 

"Seriously, Huang Renjun. What happened last night? You're not the type to get wasted on a school night."

 

"Well… Jaemin and I had an adventure," he starts.

 

"Jaemin? You met a guy? Wait, you can tell me about that later, but what happened with _Jeno_?"

 

"I… I don't know, Hyuck. Honestly, I really don't know. We were hitting it off, you said. I thought that too. When you left, we talked… and you know it's not easy for me to talk to someone I just met."

 

He pauses to thank the staff who handed him some water. He gulps half the glass down, grateful to finally have some hydration.

 

"I was interested, you know," he continues. "God, he's just so handsome. I could just watch him talking for hours. I did. We talked about tons of stuff, and it wasn't boring for me. It felt like we were connected."

 

"You literally are," Donghyuck interrupts.

 

He rolls his eyes at how obvious it should be, but he's not done talking yet.

 

"And as I said, he can talk about anything and I'll just stare at him and still be absorbed. Hah. He started talking about _literature_ , Hyuck. How boring. With any other person, I would have just gotten up and left, but I couldn't. It felt like I was magnetized. But… but I don't know what happened. He was the one who got up to leave, and I just… I was offended?"

 

His friend stays quiet, only asking, "Why?"

 

"He practically told me I wasn't worth his time. So, I left. Figured I'd find better company, and left the party with Jaemin. I don't even know when and how I got home."

 

"You spent the whole night with a guy you just met?" The worry in the brunette's voice is palpable. "Ever heard about 'stranger danger'?"

 

"Would it have made any difference if I had spent it with Jeno instead?"

 

"Renjun..." Donghyuck aims for his hands, but he tucks them under the table. "You know it wouldn't have made any difference. I'm just worried. You didn't even tell me where you were going after you left. I just wanted to know you were safe."

 

"Well, here I am. I may be dying from this splitting headache, but I'm safe."

 

"Okay, I'm sorry I called you out so early. I honest to heavens didn't know you'd be hungover right now. Would you like it if we stayed in? Say what, I'll skip with you and fetch us some ice cream. Maybe cook you some soup at home too, yeah?"

 

Renjun smiles weakly at his friend. _I don't deserve you_ , he thinks. He regrets being cranky when all Donghyuck wanted was an explanation, and all because he was concerned.

 

An afternoon nap and an empty tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream later, Renjun no longer feels his stomach churning, and his migraine has almost vanished. They're back to their easy conversations, Renjun telling the story of how he met Jaemin, and what they did the previous night. It doesn't take much to convince his friend that the guy's decent.

 

After Renjun keeps him up to date on his recent whereabouts, Donghyuck breaches the subject again.

 

"Why don't you give the guy another chance?"

 

"What makes you think he deserves that? Also, I bet he doesn't want that either. After all, he _did_ say I wasn't worthy of his time."

 

"I don't know how to translate it into words, Junnie… but please, trust me on this one, okay?"

 

"If you say so..."

 

Renjun would never admit it, but he would trust Donghyuck with his life.

 

"I'll talk to him for you. I feel like I got him into this mess too… so, just… promise me you'll give it a go?"

 

"I mean, do I really have a choice? Not like our souls are linked or something… Oh, wait."

 

 

—xxx—

 

Renjun didn't plan on spending his weekend trying to mend broken ties. There are a lot of other things he'd rather be doing, like maybe catch up on the new Buzzfeed Unsolved episodes. Yet, he's at a book cafe, seated in a booth, waiting for someone he thinks he's not ready to face again. He owes it to his best friend, at least, to be here and endure the day.

 

He sips on his cold tea, watching the patrons around him. He didn't think it would be a good idea to meet here, seeing how most of the people in the room are immersed in their own worlds. It doesn't seem like a conducive place to have a conversation. It's just too quiet, and any spoken word comes out as a whisper. It's more somewhere you would go to get some peace and drown the rest of the world out with books.

 

It makes sense, though. Jeno looks like he would know the cafe by heart. It's exactly his scene. The shop is lined with bookshelves which, in turn, are filled with literature of every genre. Every booth has its own selection. Behind him is a mix of non-fiction and fantasy. _What an odd combination,_ he thinks. He lets his hand travel over the spines of the books on the shelf, and it settles on _Zodiac Dreams_. His fingers tap on it as he looks at the title in contemplation before he pulls it out of the shelf. He decides a little bit of light reading wouldn't hurt while he waits for a raven-haired boy.

 

Renjun doesn't notice how much time has passed until he feels a shadow cast over him. He looks up from the book and sees Jeno. It surprises him how different the guy looks from when he last saw him. His hair falls flat on his forehead, wet. Renjun looks out the cafe window to see how dark it's become, and gets entranced by the raindrops hitting the sidewalk. He's pulled out of it when he feels water hit his face, and he sees Jeno shaking his head in an attempt to dry his hair. _How cute._ He notices how the guy's ears turn red, and he smiles. Maybe today isn't going to be as bad as he thought.

 

"Hi," he says. He pats the seat next to him.

 

"Hey," Jeno greets him. He hesitates, moving to take a seat across the table, but decides to sit beside Renjun instead. He stays there, waiting for the blonde to say anything and when he doesn't, he pulls out a book from the shelf behind them. He looks at Renjun, as if asking for permission, and the other gestures _go ahead_.

 

They stay in silence, both pouring their attention on the books in their hands. It should amaze Renjun how comfortable it is being with Jeno, but it doesn't. It was the same atmosphere a few days ago. He knows it must be the earth doing its magic, and he can't complain. He would trade the world for something as cozy as this. He thinks back to the night they met and remembers how easy it was for him to open up to this stranger. He puts down his book and observes him, basking in the soft cafe lights, enamoured by the novel he's reading. He sees how exquisite his movements are, even if he's only flipping pages.

 

 _What went wrong that night?_ , he wonders.

 

"Your thoughts are too loud." Renjun doesn't know when he started staring at the other's mouth, but he sees it moving, and has to do a double-take.

 

"What? What did you say?"

 

Jeno moves to face him, and the space between them suddenly feels so small. The slightly smaller man gulps, eyes still focused on the other's lips. A hand is placed on his chin, tilting his head up. His eyes meet Jeno's, and he feels trapped. The hand moves away and finds one of his. He feels a small squeeze, and circles being rubbed on his skin. The tension on his shoulders disappears all at once.

 

"Listen," Jeno starts. "About the other night. I'm sorry."

 

"I forgive you," he answers. When he sees the raven-haired man's eyebrows raise, he adds, "and I'm sorry, too."

 

"You don't really have to apologize, I guess..."

 

"But I do. I was rude. I said some things I shouldn't have… out of spite."

 

"Inju– Renjun, it was nothing. I was the one who said some things at first. It was only natural how you reacted. I'm sorry, for all its worth."

 

Renjun can't stop the corners of his mouth from curving upwards. "It's fine," he says. "Let's just put it behind us, yeah?"

 

"Sounds good," Jeno's nose crinkles as he smiles.

 

They let the comfortable silence lead them. They go back to their books, choosing to hold each other's presence within it. Somewhere in between the shuffling of the pages and their silent conversations, someone shifts and fills the spaces in between their fingers. They don't let go.

 

Renjun learns a lot about Jeno that day, much more than when they were talking.

 

It was all too easy for them.

 

—xxx—

 

 

Adding to the list of things that Renjun doesn't like doing on weekends, he hates being cooped up in the library, stressing out on all the things he has to do and not done yet. He would like to think that he's one of those people who have perfectly adjusted to college life. He's always been on top of his academic life thus far, even has a bullet journal to prove it, and that's how he likes it.

 

The library is supposed to be silent, but on Sundays, it isn't. There are too many people around for it to be quiet. The lazy hum of the air conditioning unit doesn't help make the place sound more peaceful.

 

"Renjun, here's the final outline for our presentation," Hyunjin, one of his classmates from Climatology, hands him a piece of paper, the outline haphazardly written on it in graphite.

 

He glances at the notes, and types away on his laptop. "I'll have the powerpoint done by this afternoon," he says. "Do the others have anything else to add?"

 

"Are you sure? I can stay back and help you with it," the other is almost ready to leave, having gathered his things and thrown them into his backpack, but acts to pull back the seat he just got out of. He lingers for a bit until Renjun says, "It's fine. I'm almost done anyway. Just adding the final touches. I'll send it to the group after I finish it."

 

"If you say so. Goodbye then, Renjun. See you in class." Hyunjin sends a small wave his way, and he does the same before concentrating on his computer again.

 

Half an hour later, he heaves out a sigh as he finally closes his laptop. He checks the clock on his phone, 16:33, it says, and he feels relieved he still has some hours left to his weekend. He opens his planner, ready to tick off another thing on his to-do list, and his eyes rest at the bottom of the page dedicated to this week. There, in his small handwriting, obviously written in a haste, are the words _make notes re: World Literature readings._ He grabs his mailman carry bag, and checks its compartments for a copy of the documents he needs. He panics when all he could find are stacks of notes for his major classes. He furrows his brows, thinking of whether he actually obtained a copy of the readings, but he can't remember anything past the SA's reminders that they would be discussing the same on Monday. _Tomorrow._

He sinks into his seat, defeated, and berates himself for not noticing that bit of reminder before. Tears threaten to escape his eyes, and he buries his head into his arms. He lets the stress get to him, and he's almost sobbing into his sleeves until he feels something cold pressing on his nape. He jolts, rubbing his eyes carelessly. His surroundings are blurry for a short while, and it takes a few more seconds before his mind registers who the person beside him is.

 

Jeno, looking cozy in a black hoodie, his headphones resting on his shoulders, a sealed plastic cup in hand, beams at him with his crescent smile.

 

"Jeno? Why are you here?"

 

"Books," he shrugs. He gives Renjun the cup and tells him to take it. "It looks like you could use some relaxation. Here it is, in liquid form." He chuckles.

 

Renjun stares at the cup curiously. _Jasmine Tea, 20% sugar._

 

_How did he know?_

His mind gets flooded with questions he wants to ask the other, but his emotions block his throat, and he can't get the words out. He stares at Jeno, mouth agape, and at the drink in his hand, confused. He shakes his head to get rid of those thoughts, and whispers a quiet "thank you" to the raven-haired boy.

 

"So… here are the readings for Mr. Kim's class." Jeno pushes a neatly stapled bundle of paper towards him.

 

He gawks at the man, again wondering how he knew.

 

"Jeno..." he starts, but there's something about the whole situation that stops him from continuing. There's a lot he wants to ask the man, but he can't translate his thoughts into spoken words.

 

_How the fuck did you know?_

Jeno opens his mouth, pauses, then takes Renjun's hand in his. "Listen," he begins. "I know you have a lot of questions right now."

 

The blonde can't focus. His eyes travels around Jeno's face until he meets his eyes. He searches them, willing himself to find some explanation, some answers to his unspoken questions.

 

_What do I need to know? What aren't you telling me? Why does it seem like you know everything about me? Jeno–_

His thoughts are cut short when Jeno lets go of his hand and places it on his cheek.

 

"Injun, stop thinking so loudly. You're going to give me a headache."

 

"What?" his voice comes out stilted. He's never had anyone other than his family–not even Donghyuck–call him by that name.

 

Jeno hesitates before placing his other hand to cup Renjun's cheeks. He looks him in the eyes and strokes the latter's skin with his thumbs.

 

"I'm sorry," he starts with an apology. "I should have told you sooner, and I don't have any excuses for not doing so… but okay, I can literally hear your mind going overdrive right now. Please, _please_ calm down. Yes, Renjun. I can read minds."

 

He waits for the other to say something, anything, and tries to drown out his thoughts, but he can still hear them loud and clear.

 

_What the fuck? So on Halloween, during the party…_

Renjun fidgets, fingers making their way in between his teeth. His teeth chatter as he nibbles on the edges of his nails.

 

_Shit. He heard me. That's why– oh my god. I can't do this. I can't._

He pulls Jeno's hands off of him and rashly rises from his seat. He hurriedly packs up his things and makes his way out the library.

 

"Injun," Jeno grabs his wrist to stop him from leaving.

 

"Don't… don't call me that," his voice shakes. He's on the verge of crying, and he doesn't want the other to see him break down. Jeno loosens his grip at that, and lets him take off.

 

The sunlight is harsh when he exits the building. His hand is shaking when he pulls his phone out of his pocket. The taps on his phone are audible.

 

**To Hyuckie [17:04]: meet me in my room. use your spare key.**

**From Hyuckie [17:05]: junnie? is everything okay?**

**To Hyuckie [17:05]: i'll tell you when you get there.**

**From Hyuckie [17:06]: i'll be there in five.**

"He can read minds, Hyuck!" Renjun blurts out as soon as Donghyuck has closed the door behind him. His friend barely has time to settle into his room before he goes into his tirade.

 

"Who?"

 

"Jeno! That's who!" He flails his arms in exasperation.

 

"And… what's wrong with that?"

 

"It's just so invasive! I can't believe he had the audacity to _read my mind_! Can you believe how stupid I was? I wasted my time wondering what had gone wrong, what _I've_ done wrong, and all this time it was because of what I was fucking thinking! It's just so..." he trails off.

 

"So what, Renjun? Say it," Donghyuck counters.

 

Renjun is taken aback at how impassioned his friend sounds.

 

"...disrespectful." He knows he probably shouldn't have finished his sentence. Judging by the way his friend rolls his eyes at him, he realizes he must have hit a nerve.

 

"Is that what you think about me too, Renjun? That what I do– how did you describe it before?– _interfering_ in other people's lives–that it's _disrespectful_?"

 

"Wait, Hyuck, I–"

 

"Save it," Donghyuck interrupts. "You think so highly of yourself, just because what you do doesn't look meddlesome to you. Have you ever stopped and thought that you're just the same? Hell, you don't even bother to follow the rules." He laughs at how ridiculous this is. "You're a fucking hypocrite, Renjun."

 

Renjun's face turns red. He _knows_ he's being a hypocrite, but hearing Donghyuck say it to him makes his blood boil.

 

"You think you know me, huh? You think you understand everything about me, like you can read me that easily? Oh, wait, who am I talking to, _of course you can._ But tell me, Hyuck, can you honestly say you _know_ me? That you _know people_? Just because you can see into our futures like they're chapters from your book of the month?"

 

The other stays frozen in his spot. He balls up his hands into fists, obviously trying to hold his emotions in.

 

"You're really one to talk, Huang Renjun. Maybe if you had stopped thinking about yourself all the damn time, you would have known about Jeno much sooner."

 

"Well, there it is. You finally said it. Just say I'm selfish, won't you?"

 

"I practically did," Donghyuck snarls. "I knew Jeno shouldn't have told you about this."

 

" _Of course_ you fucking knew!" he laughs and throws his hands up in frustration. "You knew and you didn't even bother telling me."

 

The betrayal he felt is evident in his eyes, and Donghyuck's expression softens at the sight of it.

 

"Junnie, it wasn't my story to tell," he explains. "Trust me–"

 

"You know what, Hyuck. I don't know if I can do that anymore."

 

He storms out, leaving his friend tormented by his exit.

 

—xxx—

 

If Renjun had a choice, he would spend his Monday morning worry-free instead of wasting his time wallowing in his emotional distress, but life has a way of making things a little more complicated than what you expected. In retrospect, he knows he shouldn't have let himself be stirred up by Donghyuck's verbal attacks. If he hadn't been so dramatic, if he had kept his mouth shut and his judgments to himself, there would have been a high chance that his mind would be quiet right now.

 

He stares outside the classroom window watching the people flights below, trying to find some peace of mind. He wants to sink into his fantasies, but his guilt and indignation are eating him up.

 

The wall clock ticks in the background as he looks for something, _anything_ , to distract him from his thoughts. Maybe he shouldn't have left his room so early. He watches the door, willing it to open, for somebody to enter the room and pull him away from his misery. But it's too early, and he's meant to be alone for another half hour.

 

When nothing else seems to work, and when the feeling that the world is against him grows, Renjun lets himself be consumed by his thoughts again.

 

He thinks back to the night before. He wants to trust Donghyuck, he really does, but he can't help but feel betrayed. In his life, he only has a few people he can honest-to-heavens say he really trusts: his mother, his cousin Chenle, and Donghyuck. Needless to say, they've been through a lot.

 

_When Renjun first came to their town, nobody wanted to approach him. He was the 'weird kid who does magic'. He lived his days in fear of other people, wary of how close they can get, pretending not to hear when they speak of him in hushed tones. He didn't have any friends, always thought he'd be better off without them. He liked living alone, anyway. That is, until Donghyuck came crashing into his life._

_High school was the worst._

_Renjun knew he had a pretty face, he knew he looked kind–kind enough for people to approach him out of nowhere. They had been the nicest, always treating him like he's a precious little trophy they could show off to everyone. They would brag to their peers about how they're 'chummy with the magic folk.' He didn't appreciate it one bit, but he held himself back knowing that one step out of line and he'd be a social pariah once again._

_"Come on, magic boy, show us your stuff."_

_He didn't know how he ended up in the gym, students from every grade watching him like he's some kind of carnival show._

_"Show us your magic tricks. Make it rain," a voice taunted him._

_"I– I can't do that," his own voice was tiny._

_"What can you do then? Read minds? Come on, then. Tell me what I'm thinking. I'm thinking of a number between 1 and a hundred. Can you guess what it is?"_

_"I–" he wanted to protest. Part of him thought he deserved this. Maybe if he hadn't told them he was magic kin, maybe if he hadn't showed them how he could actually make it rain at the snap of his fingers, maybe he wouldn't be here right now._

_"HUANG RENJUN!"_

_The gym doors opened with a loud bang._

_"VICE PRINCIPAL JUNG'S LOOKING FOR YOU! SOMETHING ABOUT BULLIES?" A redhead, not much taller than he was, made his way through the crowd._

_The students dispersed, threatened by the loud boy's outburst._

_He hugged his knees, letting a few sobs escape his chest._

_"Hey," he felt a pat on his shoulder. "It's okay. They're gone."_

_He looked up at the boy, almost blinded by the flash of red hair. "Thank you," he whispered._

_"I'm Donghyuck, by the way. Ah, yes. I know your name because..." the boy paused. "I'm sorry about all of this. I should have told you sooner. I mean I had the vision a couple of days ago, but I didn't know it would happen this soon."_

_"You're precognitive?" he asked._

_"That, I am." Donghyuck beamed at him._

_"I thought I was the only one in this school..."_

_"Well you thought wrong. So, what do you say, Renjun? Let's be friends?" he offered._

_"Can I… can I trust you?"_

_"Of course you can! I mean, us magic folk have to stick together. Say what, I'll be your guide. I'll tell you everything you need to know."_

"Renjun," a deep voice calls out to him. "Did something happen with Donghyuck?"

 

His eyes widen when he sees the person in front of him.

_Stop that._

 

He pulls his hands away when he sees Jeno reaching for them.

 

"Renjun, I–"

 

He doesn't give him any chance to explain as he hurriedly packs up his belongings and goes against the crowd that's making its way into the room. He doesn't have the energy to deal with this, not right now.

 

—xxx—

 

The distant clap of thunder accentuates the dark clouds peeking through the spaces of the bleachers. Renjun reaches a hand out, wanting sunlight to embrace him, but it's cold outside, and the sun is hiding behind the gloom that surrounds him. He stretches his limbs and stares at the sky. A flash of lightning illuminates the field, and isolated rumbles permeate the area.

 

_Me too._

He sits up and tilts his head back, preventing tears from pouring down his face. He soon finds out that any attempt to curb his emotions is feeble. As soon as a tear travels down his cheek, the sky releases a sudden downpour. He lays back in defeat, letting the storm ravage him. The weather is chaotic, but in this moment, he feels serene. Sleep threatens to capture him, and he closes his eyes to let it.

 

The sound of water hitting plastic rouses him from his peace. His eyes flutter open. He pushes himself up and crosses his legs as he finds a comfortable sitting position.

 

"Donghyuck told me you'd be here." Jeno settles beside him. "Penny for your thoughts?"

 

"Hah. As if," he snorts.

 

He watches as the other stiffens at his words, and he wishes that the storm drowns the noise brewing in his mind. It didn't seem possible, but the rain becomes harsher. Silence falls on them like a curtain of rain. Somewhere along the raindrops and howls of the wind, they both decide that words are not necessary for them to bask in each other's presence.

 

"Jeno..." Renjun breaks the silence.

 

Jeno hums an answer and nudges him to go on.

 

"Can you… distract me from my thoughts?"

 

"I don't know, Renjun. Your thoughts are pretty fascinating. You have a mean argument for the existence of aliens. Sure you want me to distract you from that?"

 

The blonde laughs his heart out. "Okay. Humor me. Don't you think since _we_ exist, they do too? Another point–"

 

"Don't say it," Jeno collapses in a fit of giggles.

 

"Your looks are so out of this world. Are you sure you aren't an alien?" he says anyway, and easily regrets his words as he cringes at the sound of them. "That sounded way better in my head."

 

"I agree." He receives a slap on the arm for that statement.

 

They slip into a warmth surrounded by each other's mirth. Jeno does a good job of entertaining Renjun. He gets him to talk about a lot of things: his life back in China, the reason why he decided to major in Meteorology,– _It's literally the study of weather, Jeno_ – and other mundane topics they could think of.

 

In the midst of all their discussions, Renjun's head finds solace on Jeno's shoulder, and their hands with each other.

 

"I'm sorry," the older says when their laughter dies down. He opens his mouth to continue his apology, to try to explain his side of things. He finds it hard to get another word out, however, when his lips are captured by the other's. The warmth comes crashing into him, on his lips, his every limb, and it embraces his whole being. He feels a tremble when Jeno lets out soft murmurs on his lips, but neither of them lets go until they're short of breath.

 

_You're warm._

 

Renjun smiles and moves to close the distance between them one more time, but Jeno pulls away.

 

_Come closer._

 

“Have I ever told you that you think too loudly?” Jeno says, eyebrows raised.

 

“A couple times, yeah.” Renjun smirks and pulls the person– _his_ person–by the collar and makes their lips meet again. Jeno smiles into the kiss and leans into it. A few more minutes pass before they break apart.

 

"Oh, look. It stopped raining."

 

Renjun would like to say that the sun holds nothing on Jeno's smile.

 

He swiftly gets dragged from under the bleachers and into the field. They run together, him relishing the feeling of the wet soil under his shoes, and the other taking in the sunlight peeking through the still dark clouds. They run and run until they feel their legs giving in.

 

They sit on the bleachers, shoulders touching. Jeno tangles his right leg with Renjun's left, and the latter protests, but gives up in the end. He latches his arm with the other's, and rests his cheek on it.

 

"I fought with Donghyuck," the older's voice comes in soft waves.

 

"It's not your fault," Jeno appeases him.

 

"That's not true."

 

"Okay. It's partly your fault," he feels a pat on his head. "But you'll both get through it."

 

He smiles and silently thanks the other in his thoughts.

 

The pleasant petrichor lingers in the air as the sky turns yellow. The dewy grass reflects the light of the slowly setting sun. The atmosphere turns dark as a flood of lilac spreads throughout the field. The boys seated on the bleachers squint as the field lights are turned on as soon as the sky turns into a deep purple.

 

"Let's get you home," Jeno stands up first. He reaches out a hand which the other promptly grasps. "You need to let your mind rest."

 

They make their way down the stands, and find the path to the dormitories. Their short journey is quiet, neither wanting to break the silence. Only their footsteps and the common sounds of the night can be heard.

 

"We're here," Renjun announces when they reach his room. "So..."

 

"See you tomorrow, Injun," Jeno says.

 

He pulls on their linked hands and stands on his tiptoes, placing a peck on Jeno's cheek. He wants to invite him inside, but Jeno's right. He needs to let his mind rest, and having him around would be a good distraction, but it's too soon for the both of them.

 

"See you tomorrow, Jeno."

 

Neither of them wants to let go, but they have to. Jeno doesn't leave until he hears the door click shut.

 

—xxx—

 

"Come on, you can't keep on delaying this forever." Jeno pulls on their entangled hands.

 

It fascinates Renjun how easy it was for him to get dragged into Jeno. It's only been a couple of days since they sorted everything out, and it didn't take much for him to be completely taken by him, his person, _his soulmate_. When things got too intimate for him, Renjun had tried to blame it on the omnipotent, like he doesn't have a choice but to fall for Jeno, but he knows in himself that it's not the whole story.

 

"I… I don't think I'm ready, Jeno." He stalls. "Can you help me relax?"

 

"I don't know. The cafeteria has some good jasmine t–"

 

The older slots their lips together before he can finish his sentence, and he melts into the kiss. It's wonderful how his heart races and how he feels the shivers up his spine. They've kissed a few times before, but Renjun's lips never fail to just take his breath away–both in the figurative and literal sense.

 

"Stop. Distracting. Me." He accentuates every word with a soft peck on the other's lips. "Let's go."

 

He leads the both of them into the cafeteria. They dodge a few people coming their way as he searches for the one-of-a-kind multicolored hair. He sees him perched on one of the benches, talking animatedly to an equally eager-looking man.

 

When they get into view, Donghyuck immediately stops talking. He says something to the other guy at the table, and the guy looks at them for a moment before he leaves. Renjun stays quiet as they approach the table.

 

"Hey," Hyuck greets them. He sounds cheerful, with a tinge of hopefulness in his voice.

 

Renjun doesn't say anything as they take the seats across the table, and Jeno nudges him, whispering, "Just do it."

 

Donghyuck watches the two carefully, noting that they haven't unclasped their hands ever since he saw them making their way to his table. He grins at the thought of the two finally getting together.

 

"So… you two," he teases. "How did this happen?"

 

"Shut up, Hyuck. You already know."

 

He opens his mouth to tease them some more, but before he can continue with his pestering, a box is shoved into his hands. He admires the pretty packaging and understands this is Renjun's special way of apologizing.

 

"Open it," Jeno says. "He worked really hard on that." He lets out a little yelp when he feels his hand being squeezed, nails digging into his skin.

 

Donghyuck opens the package delicately, wanting to preserve the gorgeous patterned paper it's covered with. He gasps as he sees what's under the layers of wrapper. It's a beautiful box, an ornate design etched onto it. He lifts the cover, and he's even more awed at the contents.

 

"You didn't..." he says, eyes wide. "Oh my god these are so _pretty_!"

 

Inside is a deck of cards, each one painted by hand. He marvels at the artistry of every design.

 

"You must have spent hours on this."

 

"More like days," his friend finally smiles. "But you're worth it."

 

" _Thank you_ ," he says, knowing that words will never be enough to express how grateful he feels. "And _I'm sorry_." The tension is palpable. He wipes a tear that's about to roll down his cheek, and he faces his friend. The moment their eyes meet, a chorus of laughter escapes their lungs.

 

"Hey, don't get mushy on me now. That's not our thing," Renjun says, but he immediately moves to his friend's side when he sees the tears welling up in his eyes. He puts an arm around him, and they both sense that everything's going to be fine between them. Soon, they're back to their dynamics. They make fun of how dramatic each other were, mocking the words that they threw at each other several nights before. It's so smooth how they ease back into their friendship.

 

"So tell me more about you two," Donghyuck says after a few minutes of banter. They laughed at how ridiculous their little fight was, and Jeno laughed along with them.

 

The couple take turns telling their story, the one Donghyuck helped begin himself, and they revel in their friend's reactions. Most of it was received with little surprise– _I already know you're going to end up together anyway_ –some with a little more fervor– _You kissed in the rain? How romantic!–_ and everything felt a little more marvelous with their friend's affirmation that _they were made for each other._

 

"Enough about us," Renjun says after he recounts the bleachers story for the third time. "What about you and Mark Lee? You're getting chummy enough to have lunch, just the two of you, together?"

 

Donghyuck's eyes are filled with excitement as he begins to tell them about _his_ person. He flails his hands in the air, talking animatedly.

 

"You see, it all started at the Halloween party..." he starts.

 

But that's a story for another day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you to the prompt-giver! i've taken a lot of liberty with writing this, and it went in a lot of directions. i hope you enjoyed reading it!
> 
> my [twitter](https://twitter.com/tsunderensung) and [cc](https://curiouscat.me/renjisung)
> 
> p.s. yes, hyunjin, renjun's classmate, is from stray kids. u.u


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